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Toronto’s chief planner Keesmaat moving on

TORONTO — The City of Toronto has announced that its chief planner and executive director of the city planning division, Jennifer Keesmaat, has decided to leave the position effective Sept. 29 to pursue other interests.

Jennifer Keesmaat

Keesmaat joined the city in September 2012 and since then has led such projects as preparing a comprehensive plan for the downtown, called TOCore, and the city's transit network plan, titled Feeling Congested.

She has also worked on Ontario Municipal Board reform, Chief Planner Roundtables, the Ravine Strategy, Complete Streets Guidelines, Planners in Public Spaces and the Planning Review Panel, noted the city's media statement dated Aug. 28.

Keesmaat's department also partnered with other city divisions and agencies on a number of transit projects including the King Street Pilot Project, Scarborough Subway Extension, SmartTrack, Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Waterfront LRT and the Relief Line.

Prior to joining the city, Keesmaat was a principal at design firm Dialog and had a career as a planning consultant and strategic planner.

Her career took her to international projects in the United States, Ireland and Greece as well as across Canada.